Welcome to the Center for Korean-American and Korean Studies

The Center for Korean-American and Korean Studies (CKAKS) is dedicated to serving as a focal point of Korean American and Korean studies in the Los Angeles area. It was initially established to coordinate studies on Korean culture and tradition, to compile data on the Korean-American community and its activities, to systematically analyze and document the achievements and problems of the Korean-American community, and to develop bi-cultural curriculum materials on Koreans and Korean cultural traditions. More specifically, CKAKS' main objectives have been to promote, coordinate, and conduct research and publication activities related to Korean-American and Korean studies; to sponsor conferences, seminars, symposia and exhibits; and to serve as a cultural resource and research center for the local community. Since the Center's establishment in 1979, all these objectives have been achieved.

The Campus

 California State University, Los Angeles, founded in 1947 by action ofthe California State Legislature, is a comprehensive university that offers programs of higher education in more than 50 academic and professional fields. The University is organized into six colleges that house nearly 50 academic departments divisions. Cal State L.A.'s reputation as a center of learning attracts students from all areas of the United States and from many foreign countries. One quarter of Cal State L.A.'s 21,000 students are engaged in postbaccalaureate study in programs leading to master's and doctoral degrees; teaching, service, and specialist credentials; certificates; and other types of programs that prepare them for professional advancement Click here to see where the CSLA campus is located.

Community Involvement

CKAKS has become a major source for the dissemination of information and research for Korean American studies, particularly in the Southern California region. Whenever major events occur that involve or impact the Korean community (such as the 1992 Los Angeles riots and the Virginia Tech Massacre), major news media (e.g., the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, CNN, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Reports, and numerous television networks) call upon CKAKS for expert analysis. 

Moreover, the founder and former director, Dr. Eui-Young Yu, has been actively involved with the local community since he joined Cal State L.A. in1968. He served, for example, as the Chairman of the Koreatown Emergency Relief Committee in the aftermath of the 1992 riots and as past-Chairman of the Korean American Museum. Since March 2001, Dr. Yu has been directing the Korean American Coalition–Census Information Center, a community project involving analysis and dissemination of the data on the Korean-American population from the 2000 Census (KAC-CIC is one of 58 Census Information Centers officially designated by the U.S. Census Bureau). Based on his work for KAC-CIC, Dr. Yu has held a series of news conferences, many of which have resulted in front page and/or feature articles and major news items in Korean TV and newspapers, as well as in the Asian-American press. Tables and data on the Korean American population in the United States are available for downloading on our site.